Please insert any relevant information, pictures, links, etc. that you find dealing with Constitutionalism.








Terms: ID the following terms. Include any and all information that you feel is relevant to the term. If possible identify any other IDs your term is related to.

Constitutionalism-A form of government in which power is limited by law and balanced between authority and power of the government. The rights and liberties of the subjects or citizens could include those similar to constitutional monarchies and republics.



gentry- An upper or ruling class in a nation. In England, this referred to aristocracy whose income is due to their large landholdings.


House of Commons- The lower house in the English Parliament made up of non-nobles (usually wealthy landowners and rich business men that represent the middle class.

Stuart Dynasty- Catholic, believed in divine right and absolutism. Reigned in England and Scotland during the age of intense religious debates and radical politics. Includes James I, Charles I, Charles II, and Mary II, among others.


James I- Elizabeth I's cousin King of Scotland and after Elizabeth's death in England. He was kind of bored of being king and when the crowds came to welcome him he threatened to drop his pants and show them his arse. His biggest mistake was trying to reinstate the divine right of kings and absolutism which Elizabeth got rid of. All through his reign, James and parliament butted heads about policy.

“divine right” of Kings: This was the reason the kings used to justify becoming an absolutist. They claimed they were chosen by god to rule and they answered only to him, no one could question their decisions or power. This helped them consolidate their power because god chose them to rule not their ministers and nobles. Examples of divine right Kings are James I and Charles I Louis XIV



Charles I - James I's son he tried to copy his dad a lot and after trying to rule without parliament he brought the country to a crisis. He was forced to flee during the English Civil war and create his own army. Oliver Crowmwell captured the King and was put on trial and beheaded



Petition of Right, 1628 - Major English constitutional document that sets specific rights and freedoms for the kings subjects. The king is prohibited from changing or interfering with these rights. The petition restricted non-Parliamentary taxation, forced housing of soldiers, and unreasonable imprisonment.


ship money” -The king revived a medieval law requiring coastal districts to help pay the cost or ships for defense. Parliament believed that such taxation without consent was despotism.


Short Parliament” - short parliament was primarily called to obtain money to finance the military struggle with Scotland in the Bishop's wars. But the parliament was more interested in perceived grievances

“Long Parliament” -
Because King Charles refused to call upon parliament and issued reaffirms without consent, they sat from 1640-1660. They enacted legislation that limited the power of the monarch and made government without Parliment impossible. It could only be fixed with the agreement of its members which was not until the after the English Civil War

Archbishop Laud - In charge of Anglican Church in England wanted to impose two new elements into the Church in Scotland 1. a new prayer book 2. bishoprics (bishops in place in scotland) Scotland refuses these and revolts - due to this Charles I is forced to call Parliament to raise taxes and finance army

English Civil War - 1640-1660. A war deciding whether the King or Parliament would have power over the state along with religious disputes mainly between the Protestants and the Catholic Church. It ended with the restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 after executing the previous king. Roundheads (Royalists) vs. Cavaliers (Puritans)

Cavaliers- The Royalists that supported the Stuart Monarchy, compromised of the clergy and nobles that were loyal to king

Roundheads- The supporters of Cromwell (Puritans). They wanted to overthrow King Charles I and his believes of Divine Right and absolutist agenda; New Model Army

Oliver Cromwell- As the head of Parlements New Model Army he beat the monarchy and placed the country under military rule. He became a dictator over England instead of giving parlement control. Put Charles I on trial and beheaded him; created the Rump Parliament; removes all non Purtians, and the only people left are loyal to him

Independent- a person in politics who is neutral or uncommitted.


New Model Army-The army of the parlement under the command of Oliver Cromwell that went up agenst the monarchy and eventualy won. Cromwell was pretty much incharge of the country but the plan was for him to give control to parlement witch he didn't do. Round heads, puritans


Pride’s Purge- Cromwell believed that the Kings should be exectued to prevent a counter-revolution. When the Parliament hesitated, Cromwell used the army to break up the Parliament. He used Colonel Pride to rid Parliment of all dissenters (approx. 100), leaving 50, creating the Rump Parliament.


Rump” Parliament- The "Rump" Parliament that was left after Oliver Cromwell took over and dismissed all former members of Parliament that were non-Puritan. The only people left were loyal to Cromwell


Levellers- Radical group in England (1650s) who supported universal male suffrage. They thought that all men should have the opportunity to vote regardless of whether they owned land or not.

Diggers- Radical group that denied Parliaments authority, and they rejected private ownership of land.


Quakers- Founded by William Penn (eventually founded Pennsylvania). Religous dissenters who broke from the church of England, preaching pacificism and social equity.


Interregnum- A gap between governments, usually between two monarchs. Can also refer to periods between the reign of one monarch to the next.


Protectorate-The English Military dictatorship 1653-1658, established by Oliver Cromwell following the execution of Charles I.


Restoration- the process in which the Stuart Monarchy was restored after the fall of Oliver Cromwell, it was restored to Charles II and both houses of parliament were restored.


Charles II- Was put in power during the restoration of the English Monarchy. He got along with Parliment until he wanted more money. He wanted more money without angering Parliment, so he had a secret treaty with Louis XIV that Louis would pay him (200,000 pounds) if Charles started to gradually re-Catholisize the Church of England. Unfortunately the plot was leaked out and he was removed because of the English anti-Catholic fears, fear of a Catholic dynasty, and hatred of the French. He had no heirs so his brother, James II, took over.

Test Act, 1673 -Legislation, passed by the English parliament in 1673, to secure the position of the Anglican Church by stripping Puritans, Catholics, and other dissenters of the right to vote, preach, assemble, hold public office, an attend or teach at the universities.However these restrictions could not be enforced. James II violated this when he nominated Catholics to government positions. Set by parliament to keep catholics from holding offices.

Habeas Corpus Act, 1679- passed during the reign of king Charles II. It was passed to define and strengthen of Habeas Corpus to force the courts to examine the lawfulness of a prisoners detention.

James II- King of England after Charles II, he was catholic and appointed catholics to positions in the army and government (violates test act). He granted religious freedom to everyone.


Glorious Revolution”- It was called the Glorious Revolution because it replace James II with William and Mary with minimal blood shead. Also when William and Mary accepted the throne they helped destroy the theory of Divine Right and reconized the supreamacy of Parlement.

William and Mary- William and Mary were related to James II. they would be put into power by Parliament, deposing James II at the same time.
Their right to rule was given to them by Parliament, and as a result, the divine right of Kings all but disappeared in England. See Glorious Revolution for the deposement of James II.
Bill of Rights- Made in a direct response to the stuart absolutism. States that Laws had to be made in Parliment(could not be suspended by crown), and Parliment has to be called once every 3 years. Judiciary independence was established, and there was no standing army at peacetime. It was highly against Catholics--they couldn't hold arms, they couldn't be King, and there was no religious freedom for the Catholics.

John Locke, Second Treatise of Civil Government
(1690) Lock believed that a government that over steps it's proper function- protecting the natural rights of life, liberty, and property- becomes a tyranny. Also believes that all men have the ability to reason.

Toleration Act, 1689- Passed by English parliament, this act allowed freedom to worship for nonconformists who pledged oaths of allegiance and rejected transubstantiation (protestants who broke from the Church of England) but not to Catholics.


Act of Settlement, 1701- Passed by English Parliament to settle the succession to the English and Irish crowns. After William and Mary were unable to produce any surviving children, as was the House of Stuart, the next in line was a firm protestant king George I. The Irish were reluctant to join monarchs, but English pressure led to the parliamentary union of the two countries. The Act itself stated than anyone who became a Roman Catholic, or anyone who marries a Roman Catholic was immediately disqualified from inheriting the throne.


Act of Union, 1707- Parliamentary Union between Scotland and England. It unified these two kingdoms into one: Great Britain. They both shared monarchs before the eventual unification, but previous attempts to unify the two were unsuccessful.


Cabinet system - A room where English rulers consult their chief minister. The leading ministers must have a seat in the cabinet and the support of the majority of the House of Commons. They formulate common policy, conduct business of the country but its not a democratic revolution the power is in the parliament. legislative and executive power held by lead ministers

Prime Minister- position that came into being sometime around 1721 when Robert Walpole was the head of the cabinet, a group of leading ministers of the House of Commons. Walpole came to become the king's first "prime" minister


United Provinces of the Netherlands- the seven northern provinces of the Netherlands that won their independence from Spain in the late 1700s. Their system of government wasn't a monarchy, but a republic in which people voted elected representatives. It was also somewhat of an oligarchy, because wealthy business men, "regents," were in charge of domestic affairs.

(Dutch Republic)

stadholder- the executive officer in each of the United Provinces of the Netherlands appointed by the Estates. They carried out ceremonial functions and are responsible for military defense. The position was often held by the princes of Orange.

Dutch Reformed church-Founded during the protestant reformation. It has close ties to Calvinism


Amsterdam- The main city of the Dutch Republic and it's large economic hub for shipping and trading. Nominal capital of the netherlands.

Dutch East India Co.- The Dutch shipping and trading company in the East Indies. They controlled almost all trade in the East Indies and led the Dutch Republic to a golden age.


Gustavus Adolphus- King of Sweden, he built and forged a brilliant army for Sweden, expanding Sweden's borders and defeating his enemies. He created a strong protestant army, and he trained some of the greatest military leaders in Sweden's history.




As a group please outline the following essay question. Your outline should include a thesis statement and the information that would be used in three supporting paragraphs.

1. Analyze the developement of Constitutionalism in England during the 17th century.